[Weekly Hotstar] 15-year-old Lee Hyosong, ‘Strong Heart of Clear Eyes’

Victory at Japan Major World Ladies Salonpas Cup
Youngest Winner in JLPGA Tour History Sets New Record
Nickname: Clear-Eyed Madman, Excellent Crisis Resolution Skills
High Concentration, Calm Mentality, Aggressive Play

The Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour was on fire.

15-year-old amateur Lee Hyo-seong is posing with the trophy immediately after winning the JLPGA Tour World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup.
[Photo by JLPGA]

This is because of the appearance of a 15-year-old amateur. The protagonist is national representative Lee Hyosong (Masan Jeil Girls' High School). She secured a one-stroke victory at the JLPGA Tour major tournament, the World Ladies Salonpas Cup (total prize money of 120 million yen), which concluded on the 5th at the Ibaraki Golf Club East Course (par 72) in Tsukubamirai City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Born on November 11, 2008, she won at the age of 15 years and 176 days. The previous youngest winner record was 15 years and 293 days by Minami Katsu (Japan) in 2014.

This is the second time a Korean amateur player has won on the JLPGA Tour since Kim Hyoju in 2012. Amateur wins on the JLPGA Tour are also rare, with only eight in history. The last time a Korean player won a JLPGA Tour major was 4 years and 5 months ago, when Bae Seonwoo won the 2019 December Ricoh Cup Tour Championship. This is also the first JLPGA Tour win by a Korean player this season.

Lee Hyosong is unmatched on the amateur stage. Last June, she achieved back-to-back victories at the Kang Mingu Cup Korean Women's Amateur Golf Championship. She became the first multiple winner of this tournament in 30 years since Jeong Ilmi (1989, 1993). Her nickname is "Malgnungwang" (Clear-eyed Madman), derived from her bold and determined demeanor both on and off the course. Since winning the World Amateur Team Championship last October with Seo Gyolim and Kim Minsol, her skills have rapidly improved. She also finished as runner-up at this year's Asia-Pacific Women's Amateur Championship, boosting her momentum. She has taken a step forward based on her strong international tournament results.

She has the temperament of a competitor with a strong heart. She excels at handling pressure and demonstrates high concentration even under intense stress. Her playing style is aggressive. She is good at making a strong push. At the final 18th hole (par 5) of the World Ladies Salonpas Cup's fourth round, she boldly succeeded in reaching the green in two shots and sank an eagle putt. This strategy ultimately led to her victory.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.